Microwave semiconductor device and integrated circuit including microwave semiconductor devices

• US 5,528,074 A
• Filed: 01/26/1995
• Issued: 06/18/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Katoh, Takayuki, Goto, Kei
• Primary Examiner(s): Hille, Rolf
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, MINH LOAN
• Application Number:
  US08/378,748
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 257/724, 257/482, 257/662, 257/664, 257/704, 257/728, 257/774, 333/33, 333/246, 333/247, 333/248, 333/254, 361/729, 361/730, 361/741
• US Class Current: 257/664
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6627 Waveguides, e.g. microstrip line, strip line, coplanar line
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05599 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/4847 the connecting portion on the bonding area of the semiconductor or solid-state body being a wedge bond
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49111 the connectors connecting two common bonding areas, e.g. Litz or braid wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49175 Parallel arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85399 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/48 of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/49 of a plurality of wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01005 Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01072 Hafnium [Hf]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01074 : Tungsten [W]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 : Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 : Solder alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10329 : Gallium arsenide [GaAs]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15787 : Ceramics, e.g. crystalline carbides, nitrides or oxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/16152 : Cap comprising a cavity for hosting the device, e.g. U-shaped cap
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1903 : including wave guides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 : Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30111 : matching

Abstract

A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a microwave semiconductor element, a microwave transmission line disposed on the substrate and electrically connected to the microwave semiconductor element, and a waveguide terminal structure disposed in the substrate and connected to an end of an external waveguide, wherein an end of a signal conductor of the microwave transmission line is included in the waveguide terminal structure. Input and output of microwave signals between the semiconductor device and an external device are carried out simply by applying an end of the external waveguide to the waveguide terminal structure. As a result, even when the substrate of the semiconductor device warps, an input-output characteristic evaluation of the semiconductor device is carried out with high stability. Further, the microwave signals are transmitted from the external waveguide directly to the microwave transmission line on the substrate or from the microwave transmission line directly to the external waveguide, thereby reducing transmission loss of the microwave signals.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having opposite front and rear surfaces and including a microwave semiconductor element;

a microwave transmission line, including a signal conductor, disposed on the front surface of the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected to the microwave semiconductor element; and

a waveguide terminal structure located partially on the front surface of the semiconductor substrate and including a terminal surface disposed within the semiconductor substrate for connection to an end of an external waveguide wherein the signal conductor of the microwave transmission line has an end extending into the waveguide terminal structure.

2. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein said waveguide terminal structure is connected to an end of an external waveguide that is applied to the semiconductor substrate at the front surface of the semiconductor substrate.

3. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein said waveguide terminal structure comprises:

a waveguide terminal body disposed within the substrate for connection to an external waveguide applied to the rear surface of the substrate; and

a terminal surface part comprising a material different from the substrate and disposed on the front surface of the substrate.

4. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein said waveguide terminal structure is a dielectric waveguide terminal structure including a dielectric layer to be connected to an end of an external dielectric waveguide.

5. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein said microwave transmission line is a coplanar-type transmission line.

6. A hybrid integrated circuit device comprising:

a mounting substrate;

a plurality of semiconductor chips respectively contained in respective packages and mounted on the mounting substrate, each semiconductor chip including;

a semiconductor substrate having opposite front and rear surfaces and including a microwave semiconductor device,

input and output side microwave transmission lines, each of the transmission lines having a signal conductor disposed on the respective semiconductor substrate and electrically connected to the microwave semiconductor device in the respective semiconductor substrate, and

input and output side waveguide terminal structures disposed in the respective semiconductor substrate, the signal conductors of the input and output side microwave transmission lines having ends included in the input and output side waveguide terminal structures, respectively; and

a plurality of waveguides connecting the semiconductor chips with each other for transmitting microwave signals between the semiconductor chips, each waveguide connecting the output side waveguide terminal structure of one semiconductor chip to the input side waveguide terminal structure of another semiconductor chip.

7. The hybrid integrated circuit device of claim 6 wherein said semiconductor chips include an input side chip and an output side chip respectively constituting an input part and an output part of the whole device, the input side waveguide terminal structure of the input side chip is connected to an end of a first external waveguide, the output side waveguide terminal structure of the output side chip is connected to an end of a second external waveguide, and opposite ends of the first and second external waveguides are connected to external devices.

8. The hybrid integrated circuit device of claim 7 wherein each of the waveguide terminal structures of the respective semiconductor chips is located in the semiconductor substrate for connection to a waveguide at the front surface of the semiconductor substrate and has a terminal surface positioned within the semiconductor substrate and including a waveguide inserted into the IC package through a hole in a lid of the IC package and connected to the waveguide terminal structure of the semiconductor chip.

9. The hybrid integrated circuit device of claim 7 wherein each of the waveguide terminal structures of the respective semiconductor chips comprises a body located in the semiconductor substrate for connection to a waveguide at the rear surface of the semiconductor substrate and a terminal surface part different from the semiconductor substrate and disposed on the front surface of the semiconductor substrate and including a waveguide embedded in the mounting substrate penetrating a package substrate on which the semiconductor chip is mounted and connected to the waveguide terminal structure.

10. The hybrid integrated circuit device of claim 7 wherein each of the waveguide terminal structures includes a dielectric layer.

11. The hybrid integrated circuit device of claim 6 wherein each of the waveguide terminal structures of the respective semiconductor chips is located in the semiconductor substrate for connection to a waveguide at the front surface of the semiconductor substrate and has a terminal surface positioned within the semiconductor substrate and including a waveguide inserted into the IC package through a hole in a lid of the IC package and connected to the waveguide terminal structure of the semiconductor chip.

12. The hybrid integrated circuit device of claim 6 wherein each of the waveguide terminal structures of the respective semiconductor chips comprises a body located in the semiconductor substrate for connection to a waveguide at the rear surface of the semiconductor substrate and a terminal surface part different from the semiconductor substrate and disposed on the front surface of the semiconductor substrate and including a waveguide embedded in the mounting substrate penetrating a package substrate on which the semiconductor chip is mounted and connected to the waveguide terminal structure.

13. The hybrid integrated circuit device of claim 6 wherein each of the waveguide terminal structures includes a dielectric layer.